Unless you purposely avoid the news these days, you are probably aware that there is a 60-day legislative session going on in Santa Fe at present. As in years past, there are bills moving through the system that could have a significant impact on breweries, and keeping track of everything can be a wee bit…
Author: Stoutmeister
Former sports writer in Tucson, LA, and Burque. Now I write about craft beer, which is a totally reasonable way to support my hobby of spending afternoons and evenings indulging in the finest stouts, lagers, and more.
Lava Rock rumbles through a tough year but hopes to rebound in 2023
Just before the winter winds whipped through New Mexico earlier this week, I trekked west to Lava Rock Brewing at 2220 Unser Blvd. NW to catch up with head brewer Dan Cavin for our Look Back/Look Ahead Series. We were the first to arrive in the brewpub that day, so Cavin did not mince words…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Celebrating Mardi Gras a few days early
What was once mainly a holiday for New Orleans and surrounding areas, Mardi Gras has spilled over into the mainstream across the country. Some of our breweries didn’t feel like being left out, but let’s face it, drawing big crowds on a Tuesday can be pretty tough (though two listed below will give it a…
Stout Challenge XII: The little guy takes down the goliath of Albuquerque
OK, first off, we were really bad at taking pictures Sunday. But, we were good when it came to judging stouts in a blind taste test format. This year went fairly smoothly, though we did have a couple of illness-related absences (you were missed, Brandon and Luke!), but at least we ended up with all…
Stout Challenge XII: Unleash the fury upon our blackened souls, again
Super Bowl weekend is upon us, which means it is time for the Dark Side Brew Crew’s annual Stout Challenge. Our fingers are crossed that we will be able to return to the House of Sturm for our 12th annual blind taste test of local stouts. The last two years we held this on the…
Lizard Tail Brewing intends to turn things around by going back to basics
If nothing else, we always have to give Lizard Tail owner Dan Berry points for his honesty. He never hides behind any sort of blind optimism, but instead comes right out and tells us exactly how things are going for his brewery. “We got owned,” Berry said of 2022. “We did not make money, I…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Show your love for all the brews and events
After back-to-back quiet weeks, it became rather obvious what the breweries were waiting for, and that would be this weekend. The combination of Sunday’s Super Bowl and Tuesday’s Valentine’s Day leads to a lot of advance events, plus at least one major anniversary party, and some other bits of fun. The beer releases are looking…
Palmer Brewery increases production to keep forward momentum going
After leaving the last few Palmer Brewery and Cider House entries to other Crew writers, it was my turn to head over for our Look Back/Look Ahead Series and catch up with one of the good guys in the industry. Owner/brewer Rob Palmer greeted me with a handshake and a pour of his Barrel-Aged Cockness…
The Week Ahead in Beer: A quiet start to a new month at local breweries
Remember when we wrote that last week was looking awfully quiet? It has nothing on this week. The beer releases are sparse, though there a few events to check out. I guess everyone is either gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday, or Valentine’s Day, or both. Either that, or the final toll of Dry January…
High and Dry soars toward its fun and funky 5th anniversary party
A fifth anniversary is a big one in the craft brewing world, and now its High and Dry Brewing’s turn to celebrate the milestone. Wait, High and Dry is five years old? It seems like just yesterday that the neighborhood pub opened its doors on Adams, just south of Lomas. Well, five it is, and…
